Trying To Move On
by ThunderboltPride
Summary: Kelsi Nielsen has committed suicide. How will Ryan Evans and the Wildcats cope?
1. Author's Note

Authors Note:

First off, I want to say that the first chapter of this story is strictly based on a one day role play. The rest of this fanfiction is written entirely by me.

Special thanks to my friends.

Chapters will be posted with every five comments.

Yeah, that's about it. Enjoy. =]

(I do not own HSM, Disney, or any of that jazz.)


	2. Kelsi's News Ch 1

**Chapter One**

Ryan Evans stared endlessly at the grand piano in the music room. Grabbing the guitar placed beside him, he began to strum a few notes humming a forlorn melody. Ryan tried with all his heart and lungs to sing but he couldn't even speak. His voice cracked at ever sound he made involving his mouth to open. Finally, he gave up and went along humming the soft, meaningful melody.

Meanwhile, Gabriella Montez was walking past the cafeteria pondering to herself on where everyone had disappeared to. The school's hallways were filled with students who were heading to their free periods but no one she really knew, she was looking for her friends. She turned a corner leading to the gym when suddenly a bulk figure ran into her making her crash to the ground, shrieking on the way down.

"I'm so sorry, Gabriella!" Troy Bolton, her boyfriend, yelled in shock as he helped her to her feet. "Gabi, do you know what happened to Kelsi? I've been hearing rumors since she's not here today, but I don't believe them." Troy asked as he watched Gabriella fix her skirt.

"I was actually wondering the same thing. Maybe Ryan or Sharpay would know? Or Chad? Someone has to know the truth." Troy nodded his head in agreement.

"You know, I heard Ryan doing something in the music room. I'll go talk to him. You want to come?" Nodding her head Gabriella followed the basketball player like a lost puppy. She sighed as they made their way towards the music room. Coming closer to the wooden door Gabriella could hear the faint sound of peaceful strumming upon a guitar. Troy opened the door and allowed Gabriella to walk in the room filled with melodious harmony. He took a seat in front of the boy in a peach colored hat and matching button up shirt and let Gabriella sit on his lap. The couple waited for the boy to finishing playing on his own time.

Ryan glanced up and looked surprised but didn't say a word. He gave a nod of reassurance and went back to playing his acoustic guitar with his slim, ashen fingers. Ryan continued to play as if no one was there pouring his heart into his fingers. He quit humming, trying so hard to sing his voice cracked leaving the words go the tune of the song spoke for itself.

Troy watched with bewilderment as the boy in front of him was so consumed in playing, it was as if no one else was present in the room. Ryan was one with his guitar and no one was going to be able to make him quit. Gabriella sat in Troy's lap with her eyes closed, swaying side to side ignoring the world that was outside of the room. She was listening to the music, being one with it. The tune was speaking to her, as if it could talk, it was coming from the soul.

Ryan halted and glanced up at the couple in the chair directly in front of him. Tears were streaming down his warm, blood red cheeks as he stared at Gabriella and Troy with lost eyes.

"Hey." He muttered so softly that he could barely hear himself. He placed his guitar in the stand beside him and gazed at them but it seemed as if he was looking straight through them.

Gabriella had not noticed the boy was crying as he played the song, fighting back her own tears she gave a nod.

"Hey Ryan, is something the matter?" Troy asked the scrawny boy, noticing the sorrow that was placed on his face.

"Kels…" Ryan was not able to speak at all. No matter how hard he tried that day, he was not able to talk.

"It's alright man. You don't have to say anything at all. Gabriella and I both are here for you. You can tell us anything. We don't know what happened…but we are here for you no matter what." Gabriella nodded as to approve of what Troy had said. She turned away from her friends and wiped away the tears that had appeared in her eyes. She lightly sniffed so they would not hear her.

Ryan quickly jumped out of his chair and walked over to the only window in the room. He slammed his fist against it and screamed out a shrill which would make dogs howl. Gabriella watched the boy in horror then walked over to his side and let out a sigh.

"Did you love her?" Troy stood and walked to a corner in the back of the room staring at the two speechless. He did not understand what was happening. He never saw Ryan in his life look so raged and petrified.

Ryan leaned on the window with his hands and watched the students below outside walk around as if everything in the world was perfect.

"Yes…" He answered Gabriella in a low tone, his voice cracking. She wrapped her arms around the boy and hugged him close to her.

"I'm sorry." She said softly letting a light mist run down her cheek onto his shoulder. Ryan swiftly pushed the girl away and shook his head no.

"That's the last thing I want." He slammed the window again with his fist making the window rattle; Gabriella jumped back a few inches. Leaning his head against the window Ryan began to sob piercingly.

"What don't you want, Ryan? Someone being close to you or pity?" Gabriella wiped away the tears the began to run down her cheeks vigorously. "You know Ryan, Kelsi was my friend as well." Ryan turned from the window and let his body slide against the window and wall to the floor. He sat with his knees close to him and wiped his tears.

"I don't want pity…I just can't take it." He answered looking up at the dark brown, natural crimped haired girl.

"Ryan I am so sorry. If there is anything…anything in the world that I could do for you, just name it." Troy finally spoke finding his courage. He began to walk over to the two and sat down by the young looking man. Gabriella stared out the window up at the sky into the heavens. "I bet you that everyone feels bad for treating her the way they did now. If she knew we were here for her…"

"Do…do you guys…know what happened?" Ryan asked gazing down at the floor.

"…we were her friends!" Gabriella screamed not even hearing what Ryan had said. She was off in her own world thinking of the playmaker.

"No." Troy said placing a palm on Ryan's shoulder. "We don't. If you don't mind telling us, we'd like to hear." Ryan gave a nod.

"Her mother called Sharpay…" He started. "She thought they were best friends for some reason…but I had picked up the phone. Shar told me she didn't want to talk. So, I took a message…" He looked up at Gabriella and over at Troy. Troy looked down at Ryan, even sitting down he was two inches taller than the petite teen. Gabriella glanced down at Ryan and then back out the window at the sky.

Suddenly, Ryan jumped backwards hitting his head off the window sill, his phone was vibrating in his pocket. Taking it out he flipped it open. He read the text message and stated, "Sharpay, wants me…fuck her." He muttered the last words under his breath harshly. Gabriella and Troy both looked startled at the sweet boy, but said nothing. He threw his phone across the room, hitting the wall it broke into a million pieces. "Kelsi's mom…said she found Kelsi…in her closet…" Gabriella shudder, suddenly feeling sick to her stomach. Troy had guessed the last words the boy was about to say and wrapped him into a hug. "She found her in the closet…hanging." Gabriella fell to the ground and held herself into a hug and began to cry.


	3. Ryan's Dream Ch 2

Chapter Two

Ryan's alarm began to scream "Bop To The Top" at six thirty in the morning. Rolling over, he moaned and slammed the palm of his hand down onto his custom made alarm clock from his sister. Staring into his ceiling light fixture, he removed the crust under his eyes formed from tears the night before. "It was all a dream!" He yelled thrillingly. "Kelsi is alive! I'm going to ask her to prom today. After that dream, I can't be afraid!"

He jumped out of his bed and sprinted to his closet and slipped on a black button down shirt with pink plaid pants and a matching fedora. Slipping on his riding boots, he glanced down at his bedside table and saw composed pieces which Kelsi had left in the music room for Ms. Darbus. "It wasn't a dream. Kelsi is really gone and Ms. Darbus wants me to run Kelsi's last show in her honor." A faint mist ran down Ryan's cheeks and fell to his lap. Quickly, he wiped the tears away and ran out of his room in horror almost knocking Sharpay to the floor.

"Watch it!" She screamed almost waking up the enormous house. Ryan gave a single nod and let his head fall. "So, anyway." Sharpay started down the staircase pulling her brother along. "I'm going to tell Ms. Darbus to forget Kelsi's show; since everyone will be so emotional they won't care if we do the show or not, and mention that I should do a one-woman show. They can do Kelsi's show when she was supposed to graduate." Sharpay headed for the kitchen still dragging her obvious sorrowful brother. "Oh, if you want I can let you do an introductory song." Ryan glared with rage towards his sister wanting to scream his heart out but he didn't want to wake his parents. Ryan quickly threw his sister up against the wall and growled letting all his emotion out.

"We've been through this before Sharpay and I am sick of you running my life. You always think I want to be in your shadow. You think I always want to be in shows with you and you have the say if I can or not. Well, you know what, Sharpay? I'm not going to be in the musical this year! So find yourself some other poor defenseless boy to do everything you say because I am done with you." Ryan thrashed his sister off the wall and headed back for his room. Sharpay blankly watched her brother walk up the steps while rubbing her shoulders.

"But wouldn't it be best they do her show next year? She was a junior after all." Sharpay called after her brother forgetting everything he had said putting her hand on her hip.

"She was a senior!" Ryan cried. "How oblivious are you, Sharpay? I bet you don't even know Zeke's last name. You know, the boy who actually likes you!" Ryan stomped into his room and slammed the door behind him shaking the walls and floor.

Ryan sluggishly walked over to his nightstand and stared at the papers as he sat on his bed. "I can't run the show without Kelsi. I may have her music but I need Kelsi's laugh and her voice." Ryan smirked as he thought of Kelsi's luscious brown hair and the way she walked. He began to laugh as he saw her impersonating Sharpay warming up for an audition and running after Troy. "How am I going to live life without her?"

"It's time for school, Ryan. You're already late." Mrs. Evans said knocking on her son's door. Ryan let out a groan and picked up the music he sat staring at for ten minutes.

"Coming." Ryan grabbed his bag and made his way for his scooter kissing Mrs. Evans on the way out. As he rode his scooter down the road towards East High, he couldn't get Kelsi out of his head. He tried his hardest to get her soothing voice out of his mind.

Ryan parked his scooter outside the front doors and raced to make it to first period in time. For once in his life, he was late for school and he could not have ever cared less.


	4. Not Alone Ch 3

**Chapter Three**

"**Hey, Ryan." Gabriella called with concern in her voice as she saw her newest friend walk into Calculus late. Ryan gave a slight smirk and handed Mr. Davis his late slip with his head hanging. He asked Mr. Davis what he had missed and apologized before taking his seat behind Gabriella. **

"**You can be in our group," Gabriella turned to speak with Ryan, "This is Amelia. She is an old friend from a few schools and houses back."**

"**Hey, call me Dani." Amelia said giving a worried look and a small grin. **

**Ryan glanced up from his desk and took in the figure of Gabriella's friend. Her auburn wavy hair bounced about on her shoulders as she spoke and her freckles dotted her face perfectly like an abstract painting. Her sky blue eyes gave a friendly welcome into her world and her nude lips ended at small dimples as she grinned.**

"**Nice." Amelia pointed to Ryan's fedora with a smile. **

"**Ryan always has a hat on." Gabriella frowned seeing Ryan's face. Swiftly, she turned back around in her seat and raised her hand. **

"**Yes?" Mr. Davis asked seeing Gabriella's hand. **

"**I need to go back to counseling, sir. I'm taking Ryan along." Mr. Davis nodded and motioned his hand towards the door. Gabriella grabbed Ryan's arm. "Let's go." **

**Ryan pulled back his arm. "I'm fine, Gabriella. I have to be. Look at everyone else." He motioned with his eyes at his worriless classmates. Gabriella shook her head and pulled her friend harder out of his seat. **

"**I'll see you later, Dani." Amelia gave an understanding nod and went back to working on their project. **

"**I'm surprised the teachers even noticed Kelsi's gone to give counseling for students." Ryan said as they walked down the hallway. Gabriella groaned at Ryan's words. Stopping in her tracks, Gabriella spun around to face Ryan.**

"**Why do you think you were Kelsi's only friend?" She threw her hands on her hips like Sharpay.**

"**Other than Troy and you, she really didn't have friends. I wasn't even a great friend, thanks to Sharpay." Ryan turned to punch a locker. **

"**When you see the hall outside the counselors' office, you'll think differently, Ryan." The two started back down the hallway and turned a corner by the cafeteria. The hallway was so filled with teenagers from each grade that it was almost impossible to walk through except for the little path between the feet which sat across from each other.**

"**Troy and I weren't able to get in the office this morning. So, instead of sitting and waiting we decided to go to class and come back later on in the day. Kelsi did have friends, Ryan." Ryan could not believe what he was seeing and a large smile came quickly. "I'll sit and wait with you, though." **

**Ryan gave a nod and sat down on the floor against the wall at the corner of the two hallways like the other students. Gabriella took a seat in the hallway with no wall for support and leaned onto Ryan' shoulder and squeezed her hand on his other shoulder. "Ryan, you can't sit through class. You'll think about her and get nothing done. I found out I was able to push it aside to work. I need to mend in my own way. Don't worry though. I still love Kelsi, okay?" Gabriella began to think of her old friend and tears streamed down her cheek falling to Ryan's shirt. He wrapped his arm around Gabriella and allowed his own tears to fall with no care. He finally had someone who understood what he was going through. Gabriella allowed her head to fall into Ryan's lap. She began to cry herself to sleep. **


	5. Author's Question

Dear readers,

I have not been able to find myself to finish this story. I know how I wanted to finish it but I have lost interest in it. What I have come to say…ask rather, is would anyone like to take over this plot/story? I would be glad to give it up to you. ^_^

-Laura


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